Bait and tackle container



March 16 11926a 1,576,688

H. F. THOMPSON BAIT AND TACKLE CONTAINER Filed D60. 31 I 1924 m 2 JfJ, fizmzps lli 11, J M

Patented Mar. 16, 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY F. THOMPSON, OF DECORAH, IOWA.

BAIT AND TACKLE CONTAINER.

7 Application filed December 31, 1924. Serial No. 759,151.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY F. THoMrsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Decorah, in the county of Winneshiek and State of Iowa, have invented a new and use ful Bait and Tackle Container, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to equipment for fishe-rmenand more particularly to live bait cans.

The object of the invention is to provide a can of this charactershaped to closely fit the body of the wearer and to be worn on either side and which is constructed for comfort and convenience in carrying either by hand or on a shoulder strap.

Another object is to provide a can of this character equipped with air chambers so arranged as to be out of the way and yet operate to retain the can in balanced upright position either when carried by hand or when floating in the water.

Another object is to so construct a can of this character that live bait may be kept healthy sturdy and active while fishing and also while being transported from place to place.

Another object is to construct a can of this character in one unit so that there are no parts to be lost.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the comination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter de scribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the'invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a perspective looking down on the top of a can constructed in accordance with this invention, the cover for one of the air chambers. being removed and the circulating opening being open;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view. In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1

to 4 the can 1 constituting this invention is in the form of a combination floating live bait can and tackle container, it havingchambers 2 and 3 preferably located at opposite ends thereof and which increase in size from their bottom toward their top and are equipped at their upper ends with removable air-tight closures 4 which adapt these chambers to be used as combination air chambers and tackle containers. The closures 4 are attached to the can by chains 5 to prevent them from being lost when removed.

These closures or caps 4 are equipped with air valves 6 to supply air to angle worms, grass-hoppers, etc., which may be carried in these chambers. It is of course understood that these chambers equipped with the removable closures 4 may be used for any purpose desired by the angler they being convenient receptacles for fishhooks, artificial bait, cigars, match-es etc., without interfering in any way with the function of the can as a live bait container. The container 1* is preferably constructed in the form shown having a concaved inner wall 7 and a convexed outer wall 8 adapting the can to fit against the body of the wearer and yet to have ample room for accommodating the bait. This container tapers in thickness toward the opposite ends thereof in which ends are located the air chambers 2 and 3 formed by curved upright or vertical partitions 9 which terminate at their lower ends at points spaced above the bottom section of the container and flare outwardly toward their upper endsso that the chambers formed thereby increase in size toward their upper ends to contain more air and to cause the can to float properly when placed in the water and to tilt at the proper angle. This container 1 has an air space 10 near the top thereof so that the water does not cover the entire inside of the container leaving a small air space which renders it possible to keep frogs and other live bait in good condition.

The-can is constructed of suitable rustproof metal and is curved from end to end and so shaped that the inside wall is concaved as shown at 7 and is adapted to fit closely to the body of the angler. This can may be worn on either side of the user and is built for comfort and convenience in carrying either by hand or on a shoulder strap. It fits closely to the, body and is out of the way permitting full use of both of the arms. All surfaces on the inside are perfectly smooth making it easy to pick out choice bait with one hand and all corners on the outside are smooth and round rendering it easy to carry through willows and high grass when wading streams without danger of catching therein.

The top 11 and the bottom 12 of the can are depressed or counter sunk whereby water is prevented from splashing or spilling outwhen carrying the can over the shoulder or in a conveyance, the depressed top also prevents minnows and other live bait from escaping when placing them into the can or removing them and this depression may be used to contain or hold ice if found desirable to do so. The counter sinking or off setting inwardly of the bottom renders itmore durable forming a vacuum when the device is placed on a flat surface and it also has a'tendency to keep the water cooler. The cover 11 may be painted red or any other color to render it easy to sight at a distance.

This can has a three-way automatic water and air circulation controlled by a ventilating self-locking cover 14 and two water circulating passages 15 and 16 equipped with removable cap-like closures 17. The passages 15 and 16 are located at opposite ends of the can below the air chambers 2 and 3 as is shown clearly in Fig. 3 and when the can is placed in water with the caps unscrewed as shown at the left of Fig. 1 the can will automatically tilt and fill with water. These caps 17 have a swiveled connection with the can being here shown mounted on rods 19 which permit them to be unscrewed to open the passages and yet prevent them from becoming lost or detached.

A hinged self-locking cover 14 is ventilated by means of an opening covered by a screen 20 and which has arranged below the screen an anti-splash bafile plate 21 which is ventilated to permit suflicient air to enter while transporting the bait. The cover 14 is shown equipped with a spring catch 22 (see Fig. 4) which enga es the upstanding wall of the can above t e top 11 and securely but yieldably holds the cover 14 in closed position. This catch 22 has a finger grip 23 to facilitate opening of the top.

The water circulating caps 17 are made of rust-proof material and absolutely watertight by means of suitable packin These passages 15 and 16 with the caps 1 thereon are placed a suificient distance above the bottom of the can to hold water enough in the can to keep the bait alive when moving it a short distance and the passages are screened as shown at 24 to prevent the bait from escaping.

\Vhile this can is primarily intended as a live bait can it may be also used as a fishcreel and when fish or live bait are placed in the can which is accomplished by opening the top 14 the closures 17 are opened to permit the free circulation of water through the can. It is of course understood that the two caps or closures 4 on the top of the can which lead into the air chambers must be absolutely air-tight before the can is placed in the water so that the air in these chambers will operate to render the can buoyant and cause it to float at the proper angle. This container may be termed a four-inone can 0 crating as a floating live bait can, a tack e case, bait box and trout creel and is made in compact form providing a complete equipment for the angler so that he will have everything that he needs in the one container.

A hook or eyelet 25 is placed on each side of the top of the can for the attachment of a shoulder strap 26. These hooks or eyelets are so placed as to balance the can either when carrying by hand or when being towed from a boat.

It is of course to be understood that this can which is made in one unit may be made in difi'erent sizes to suit the convenience of the angler.

I claim 1. A bait can constructed of metal and curved from end to end with the inside wall made concaved to fit the body of the angler, and the outside wall convexed, all surfaces of said can on both the inside and outside being smooth and round, said can having an opening in the top thereof equipped with a hinged ventilated anti-splash closure and circulating passages in the side walls near the bottom thereof equipped with removable air-tight closures.

2. A one unit bait can made arcuate in horizontal section with the points thereof rounded on the outer and inner faces of the can, curved partitions at the ends of said can forming air chambers decreasing in size toward their lower ends and having airtight removable closures swivelly mounted thereon, and a hinged top or cover having a breather opening therein.

3. In a bait can, a body portion, arcuate in horizontal section and having air chambers at the points thereof, said air chambers being arranged laterally of the central line of gravity of the body portion, said body portion having openings arranged adjacent to the lowerend thereof,-and a cover for admitting fluid to the interior of the body portion.

4. In a bait can, a body portion, said body portion having air chambers arranged therein and disposed laterally of the central line of gravity of the body portion, said body portion having openings arranged at the bottom thereof, a cover having an opening gravitation of the body and at the side of the body opposite to the side in which the air chambers are located.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature.

HENRY F. THOMPSON. 

